city in South Dakota
Honey bee forage in Bruce, South Dakota
Estimated forage here is better than about 82% of sites in South Dakota. Against other South Dakota sites it stands out most in spring (95th percentile) and lowest in summer (68th). Biggest nearby bee crops: corn (nearest 0.3 mi E, grown 1 of the last 5 years); soybeans (nearest 0.4 mi NE, grown 2 of the last 5 years).
When is the honey flow in Bruce?
- First forage: Apr 1 (dandelion, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Main flow: Jul 1 to Aug 31, peaking late Jul (soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red)
- Season ends: Oct 15
Forage available to a colony through the year at the center of Bruce, from what grows within flight range (about 3.7 miles) and when it blooms here. Dates are the model's estimate for a typical year; the spring index for this spot falls on May 17.
What the honey is made of
- Spring honey (March to June): clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, mixed: part of it sets quickly, part stays liquid
- Summer honey (July and August): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, alfalfa; white, likely to set over some months
- Fall honey (September to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, fall wildflowers (goldenrod, aster); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
- Whole season (March to November): soybeans, clovers: white, alsike and red, dandelion, roadside weeds (clover, dandelion, sweet clover, mustard); extra light amber, likely to set over some months
Nectar-source estimate (plants weighted by how much bees favor them), not a pollen analysis. Full honey estimate.
Bee crops within flight range
- Corn: about 1,653 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.3 mi E, blooms late Jul – late Aug (grown 1 of the last 5 years)
- Soybeans: about 342 acres in a typical year, nearest 0.4 mi NE, blooms early Jul – early Sep (grown 2 of the last 5 years)
From USDA's crop maps for 2021–2025; fields rotate, so a crop counts by how often it was grown. Listing a field says nothing about its owner.
The land and water around Bruce
Mostly: Corn; Western Cool Temperate Pasture and Hayland; Soybeans.
Nearest mapped water: open water 0.26 mi NW; mapped stream or canal (may be dry in late summer) 0.27 mi N.
How Bruce ranks
| Against random land in | Overall | Spring | Summer | Fall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Continental US | 93rd | 56th | 91st | 95th |
| South Dakota | 82nd | 95th | 68th | 94th |
| Northern Glaciated Plains | 43rd | 93rd | 24th | 51st |
Percentiles among 3,000 random land points in each region, scored the same way: land in general, not beekeepers' apiaries.
The national forage map around Bruce: darker is more forage. Tap anywhere to check that exact spot.
Nearby
Volga 8 mi · Estelline 10 mi · Brookings 11 mi · White 12 mi · Arlington 13 mi · Poinsett Colony 14 mi
All towns in South Dakota · National map · How the scoring works
An estimate from public maps (USDA crop maps 2021–2025 averaged, LANDFIRE vegetation), not a survey of the ground. Maps can't see garden plantings, understory density, other beekeepers' hives, or this year's weather. The point is the Census Bureau's published center of Bruce (44.4378, -96.8906); a yard a mile or two away can differ, so check your own spot. The FEMA flood map was not checked for this page. Benchmark 2026.5, built 2026-10-19. How this works · All sources.